Amid criticism of opposition parties for delaying the maiden assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that call on the date and timing of polls will be taken by the Election Commission of India.
In an interview with a news agency, Union Home Minister said that the process of preparation of the voters' list is nearing completion in the Union Territory. "Now, the Election Commission has to take a call on elections in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Important to mention here that the special summary revision-2022 culminated with the publication of the final electoral rolls in the UT on November 25, 2022, the process of continuous upgradation is going as any eligible citizen who has been left out of the electoral roll can apply through any of the modes of registration, i.e. Online through NVSP portal, Voter Helpline APP, Voter Portal or Offline by making an application to the ERO concerned.
The completion of the exercise will pave the way for holding elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This would be the first election in the UT after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state of J&K into two Union Territories by the BJP-led NDA government in August 2019.
The ECI announced a revision of electoral rolls after the completion of the delimitation exercise
After the completion of the delimitation exercise in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India ordered pre-revision activities in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir on 10th June 2022, which primarily included the task of mapping the existing electoral rolls of 83 pre-delimitation constituencies to the post-delimitation 90 Constituencies, in accordance with the Delimitation Commission's Order, rationalization of polling stations and integrations of the electoral rolls.
Statehood after assembly elections in J&K
Union Home Minister said that the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will come up after assembly polls.
"I had clearly stated that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir after elections", he said.
Asked about his earlier statement mentioning the emergence of new leadership in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said that new leadership will emerge from local bodies where polls had been held earlier.
He said that new leadership will emerge from the Panchs, Sarpanchs, and other elected members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in J&K.
Lambasting opposition parties for criticizing the government's policy on Kashmir, Shah said, "As far as elections are concerned, do they not remember the local body polls, these were held under our rule, these did not take place for 70 years. Three families were holding sway in Jammu and Kashmir and they are making noise. Farooq Abdullah had gone to England. In whose tenure, terrorism grew, who allowed it to grow, there should be an answer".
